FOCUS
Important role Andy Hill discusses the risks created by fire in the waste wood sector, and the changes ahead due to the market’s growth
F
OR THE past five years the waste and recycling industry has been plagued by news headlines over the number of
fi res occurring in the sector. Of course, there’s no smoke without fire, but has the coverage always given a wholly true picture of the industry? In some cases maybe, but in others not necessarily. The waste and recycling sector plays a
crucial role in the world we live in. It provides an alternative to landfi ll, creates sustainable products for us as consumers to use, and enables the replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy. All of that comes at a cost though; it’s a dirty industry, and while people understand the need for it, they don’t always want to see the reality of it. It is an industry that by its nature requires strict regulation to enforce and maintain high health and safety, environmental and quality standards. The Wood Recyclers’ Association (WRA)
is the trade body and representative for the waste wood part of this sector in the UK, and as such knows more than most the cost to businesses if they get things wrong. However, we also understand the need
44 NOVEMBER 2018
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for those businesses, our members, to be given a fair and even playing field from which to operate. We act on behalf of our members to provide a
voice for the sector at the highest levels, working closely with the Environment Agency (EA), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and other trade associations and recycling bodies to infl uence and advise on issues affecting the industry, including legislation. It is from this standpoint that we became heavily involved in challenging the EA’s Fire Prevention Plan (FPP) guidance three years ago.
EA guidance
Anyone working within the waste and recycling sector cannot have failed to notice the furore that occurred around the EA’s FPPv3 guidance when it was issued in 2016. This was on the back of two previous versions which had also been causing the industry problems; but v3 had been published after a consultation period, and it was still seen as being totally unworkable for any business operating over a certain scale.
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